Key takeaways:
- Lunesta the brand name of a sleeping pill with the active ingredient Eszopiclone.
- Is Lunesta addictive? Yes, Lunesta can become addictive if used differently than recommended.
- Side effects of Lunesta include parasomnias, dry mouth, dizziness, headache, flu-like symptoms, and addiction.
- The worst side effect of Lunesta withdrawal is rebound insomnia.
- Avenues Recovery can help you safely and comfortably detox from Lunesta and achieve long-lasting sobriety.
Yes, Lunesta can become addictive. Addiction is defined by continuously engaging in the use of harmful substances or behaviors despite the adverse physical, mental, social, and financial effects. Whether or not someone is physically dependent on or addicted to a drug depends on if they experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit.
This article will explain what Lunesta is, what it’s used for, Lunesta withdrawal symptoms, and the side effects of using Lunesta differently than recommended.
If you or someone you know uses Lunesta regularly to help with sleep, article can help you identify Lunesta addiction and deal with it effectively.
What is Lunesta?
Lunesta is a brand name sleeping pill with the active ingredient Eszopiclone. It helps people struggling with insomnia fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Lunesta is classed as a sedative-hypnotic, and it depresses the Central Nervous System, so it is also a depressant. You may be wondering: is Lunesta a controlled substance? Yes, Lunesta is categorized as a Schedule IV drug and is appropriately limited by the government.
Schedule IV drugs have been proven to contribute to the medical world in a meaningful way (as opposed to Schedule I drugs, which have no medical purpose and are used purely recreationally), and have a lower potential for abuse and addiction as compared to other substances.
Lunesta side effects:
Every drug comes with risks and side effects, no matter how effect it is at treating people. One of the greatest dangers of Lunesta is dependence and addiction. Today, medical professionals advise people to avoid the drug entirely if possible, so they will not come to slowly increase the dosage over time and ultimately become dependent on it.
Lunesta use also carries the risk of parasomnias. Parasomnias refers to strange and abnormal behaviors during sleep, and includes sleepwalking, nightmares, bedwetting, sleep terrors, sleep paralysis, and other disturbing behaviors. This can be dangerous if a person takes medication, leaves the house, or does other dangerous things in their sleep. Users also report feeling very drowsy the next day, and unable to function as usual.
Other physical side effects of Lunesta, besides the most common Lunesta headache side effect, include:
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Flu-like symptoms
Lunesta withdrawal:
Every person who stops taking Lunesta will have a different withdrawal experience. The severity of Lunesta withdrawal symptoms is dependent on the frequency and duration of Lunesta use, age, gender, metabolism, other drug interactions, other mental health issues, and family history. The little research available has proven that Lunesta does not cause significant or fatal withdrawal effects when quitting the drug.
Anecdotally, there have been reports of users who claim that stopping Lunesta has caused significant, adverse side effects. What are the worst side effects of Lunesta?
The worst side effect of Lunesta withdrawal is sleeping issues, also known as rebound insomnia. This means that the person experiences worse insomnia than before they started to take the drug. Rebound insomnia usually includes anxiety and panic attacks as the person attempts to fall asleep.
Rebound insomnia can be prevented by tapering off of Lunesta slowly, instead of going cold turkey. This gentler process slows the chemical reaction in the brain, limiting the effects of rebound insomnia. Additionally, it’s important to practice good sleep hygiene and be as consistent as possible in the times you go to sleep and wake up. Good sleep hygiene helps your body form healthier sleeping habits, while training the brain to adapt to a consistent schedule of day and night.
Lunesta withdrawal symptoms:
Withdrawal symptoms are experienced when quitting Lunesta, because the body has to adapt to existing without the drug it has become dependent on. In other words, the body has come to depend on Lunesta for regular functioning, so quitting the drug throws the body into an adjustment period where it has to learn to cope without the drug it previously needed just to exist normally.
Common Lunesta withdrawal symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Muscle spasms
- Short term memory loss
- Mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Rebound insomnia
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Depression
Lunesta withdrawal timeline:
The amount of time that Lunesta remains in the system is directly responsible for the effects that the user will experience through the withdrawal process. How long does Lunesta stay in the system? This is measured through half-life, which refers to the amount of time it takes for the half of the drug to exit the body. After a certain number of half-lives, the drug will be excreted from the body completely.
The half-life of Lunesta is 6 hours. This means that it takes 6 hours for the concentration of the drug in the system to reduce to half. At about 12-48 hours, the drug completely leaves the body, and the first withdrawal symptoms experienced. Here’s an overview of the withdrawal timeline:
- Day 1-2: Within two days of quitting Lunesta, the user will typically experience anxiety and severe insomnia while the body adjusts to existing without the drug it has come to rely on for optimal functioning.
- Day 3-7: Rebound insomnia is strongest during these days, although they should fade by the end of the first week. The user may also contend with nausea, irritability, and other mood changes.
- Day 8-21: During this time, all symptoms should reduce in severity and begin to fade completely. Although it’s uncommon, there are some people who continue to struggle with symptoms past 3 weeks after the last dose.
It’s worth noting that although these symptoms are difficult to handle, they usually pass within 3 weeks at most. With that mindset, making the decision to reach out for help to quit Lunesta may seem more within reach than ever.
Lunesta detox:
The most difficult and statistically unsuccessful way to stop using Lunesta is to quit cold turkey. Quitting abruptly is extremely difficult, lonely, and sometimes too hard to see through until the end. This usually results in a physically and emotionally draining relapse, which deters the user from attempting to quit the drug again.
The safest and most effective way to sobriety is through medical detox. This means entering a facility like a hospital or rehab center, where medical professionals can monitor and help you taper off the drug slowly. They will also help to manage your physical, mental, and emotional symptoms, making you as comfortable as possible and giving a smooth start to your recovery journey.
Lunesta addiction treatment:
If you or someone you love is struggling with Lunesta addiction, know that you are not alone. As with many over-the-counter medications, the easy access and great need makes Lunesta a prime target for dependence and addiction. Thousands of people just like you have entered the doors of Avenues Recovery’s rehab centers and left sober, full of opportunity, and hope for the future.
We encourage you to reach out to us today to find an Avenues Recovery rehab center that is close to you, where you can feel comfortable to start your journey of detox and sobriety. We have compassionate, professional, experienced staff who have helped thousands of people move from addiction to recovery, and we want to help you go through that process, too.
Reach out today to get started – you can find your way home, too!